The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-09-09
The Democratic Convention.

The Democratic Convention.
The Democratic State Convention
at Allentown was called to order at
noon on Wednesday OF last week, by
Chairman Dallas Sanders Of the State
Committee. The roll was called, and
there was not single contested seat.
Hon. John B. Storm nominated Con-
gressman George Post, of Susquehanna,
and Mr.. Post was elected by acclama-
tion. Upon assuming the duties of
the chair Mr.. Post said:
''GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION {:
For this manifestation of your esteem
and confidence l tender my cordial
thanks. To preside over so intelligent
and patriotic an assemblage of my fell
low-citizens is indeed high honor,
and one which l appreciate at its full
value. We have met as the represen.
tatives of the democratic party of
Pennsylvania, grand body of sturdy
citizens, desirous of honest economic
government, to name those who shall
lie our standard bearers in the coming
state campaign, and declare anew our
fealty to the principles of democracy
as well as to define our position upon
questions Immediately affecting our
state. We are not here to register the
will of arrogant bosses, for there is no
room in the democratic party for boss
es. We do not follow at the heels of
men, but battle for the maintenance of
.s.la tot, e
democrats is not called to give formal
ratification to a prearranged pro-
gramme, but for the purpose Of full,
free and candid interchange of opinion
and sentiment and as to the best
course to pursue to advance the
interests Of our party, and to ar
rive at conclusions satisfactory to
all, to the end that we may 60 forth
unitedly to do vigorous battle in be-
half of pure government. 1t has al
ways been my lot to live in section
of the country wherein the democracy
has been in the minority but no mat
ter how black the gloom of defeat has
settled about us in our local contests,
have ever been proud to proclaim my
self democrat, and have never abated
one jot nor little of my confidence in
the ultimate saccess of its forces. To
day, as look upon this magnificent
assembly of democrats, am prouder
than ever that I early enlisted in the
democratic ranks. They tell US that
our party is in state of decay. If
this grand gathering of earnest, intelli-
gent men, who have come to this beau
tiful city aud thronged its thorough
fares and taxed its capacity for enter
tainment to the utmost, and that in
what is commonly known as an off
year, is sign of decay or disintegra-
ton, then God speed the work of de-
cay. 1t was the late w. III. Seward, I
believe, who once said that the last
democrat had been born, but despite
that same prophecy, should say from
the youthful faces of many of the dele
gates to this convention that democrat
ic babies had been putting in an ap-
pearance in large numbers in every
city, village and hamlet in our COM
monwealth and l have no doubt they
will continue by the thousands to come
10 fill up the ranks as the old warriors
fall from the ranks, full of years and
honorable scars. As democrats we
have every reason to be of good cheer,
and we haye the strongest possible
grounds upon which to base our claims
for popular support and confidence. In
1882 we named for governor Robert
e. Pattison, and pledged the people
that if elected the affairs of our state
would be prudently and honestly ad-
ministered, the knife applied TO all
kinds of jobbery, and check put up
on monopolistic aggression. How well
he fulfilled those pledges is known to
all men, and he retired from the exc
cutive offic honored by every citizen of
the state. Under democratic ad-
ministration of our state affairs there
were no useless offices created to make
place for hungry heelers there was
not a trace of corporation influence
about the executive office, there was
rigid economy in public expenditures
and there were no attempts to eyade
the mandates of the constitution. The
democratic party of Pennsylvania had
no hand in the outrageous juggelry
whereby the revenue bill was lost, in
which every county in the state was
vitally interested, and the failure of
which was surely not in the interest of
the masses. And in the federal ad
ministration at Washington every demo-
crat takes pride, in President Cleveland
a democratic president, the country
has found a man of brains and pluck,
inhexible integrity, patriotic impulses,
conservatism and sagacity, in whom
the people have implicit confidence.
Under his administration there is an
era of great prosperity, and all the dire
prophecies of disaster foretold by our
opponents have come to naught In
some quarters there is an evident at
tempt TO convey the impression that
President Cleveland is inimical to the
wounded and decrepit veterans of the
late war, and yet he has approved in
the past two years more private pen
sion bills than were signed by republi-
can presidents in twelve years, and all
pension legislation which was calculat
ed to afford relief TO crippled soldiers
or to widows and orphans of deceased
soldiers has been gladly approved by
him. And the pension bureau under
democratic supervision is adjusting
pension claims more speedily than ever
before, and over $4,000 more pension
certificates have been granted during
the two years of democratic rule than
were granted in the last TWO years of
republican control"
Chairman Post then announced that
the Chair was ready to receive any
proposition from the convention. Mr..
Storm offered resolution that the
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